1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data processing and, more particularly, to application integration in a network data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to building integration workflow endpoints into Web components for a Web application.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heterogeneous computing environments use hardware and system software from different vendors. Organizations often use computers, operating systems, and databases from a variety of vendors. Application integration involves translating data and commands from the format of one application into the format of another. Application integration is essentially data and command conversion on an ongoing basis between two or more heterogeneous systems. Implementing application integration has traditionally been done by tedious programming, or occasionally one package might support the interfaces of one or two other packages. However, the trend today is to use message brokers, application servers, and other specialized integration products that provide a common connecting point.
Many companies also provide a Web presence to their backend systems. For example, a Web application may allow a customer to order a product. Prepackaged “middleware” solutions have become available to Web enable the enterprise. However, interfacing multiple heterogeneous systems with a Web application presents many problems to developers and administrators. Interface solutions are typically specific for a particular back-end application.